Red Kettle Campaign kicks off

Published 2:58 am, Thursday, November 12, 2015

Maj. David Hodge announces the start of the 2015 Salvation Army Red Kettle Campaign during a special Veterans Day ceremony Wednesday at the courthouse.

Maj. David Hodge announces the start of the 2015 Salvation Army Red Kettle Campaign during a special Veterans Day ceremony Wednesday at the courthouse.

Photo: Homer Marquez/Plainview Herald

Red Kettle Campaign kicks off

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Like turkeys, mangers and candy canes, the bell-ringing and red kettles of the Salvation Army have grown synonymous with the holiday season. And with the rolling in of the fall season, so begins the start of the Salvation Army's Annual Red Kettle Campaign, which officially began Wednesday.

"It's our annual Red Kettle Campaign where we raise money for our operating funds for the year," said Maj. David Hodge, who leads Plainview's Salvation Army efforts.

Hodge said the red kettle campaign is the largest fund raiser for the organization and is a significant part of the yearly budget, which includes overall overhead and assistance programs.

"It's what helps keep the lights on," Hodge said.

Hodge said the money, along with providing Christmas food baskets and toys for children, stretches all year long and pays for programs like rent and utility assistance.

In 2014, Hodge set a campaign goal of $50,000. However, contributions were more than $7,000 short. The shortcoming put a real strain on the program and what they were able to offer.

"We had to cut rent assistance and utility assistance because we just didn't have the money," Hodge said. "We had to make the choice of paying someone's rent or keeping the lights on. We had to make that choice and it was hard."

Hodge said an increase in revenue in the profit of the Salvation Army's downtown store helped ease the blow, but wasn't enough to save the year.

"I do have to congratulate the community because our store income was up and we survived off of that. We are really happy with that, but that's not enough," he said.

But Hodge said he is positive the Plainview community will once again pull through and support the Salvation Army.

"With the help of our neighbors here in Plainview I think we can overcome it," he said.

Much of the assistance goes to support veterans in need of help. Hodge said the Salvation Army now even has a support group for veterans, known as the Upper Room, that meets twice a week.

"We've made a lot of progress," said Hodge, who is a veteran himself.

The Red Kettle Campaign has begun, but just at the Salvation Army's downtown store. On Nov. 23, bell ringers will hit the street until Christmas Eve.

Hodge said volunteers will be ringing in some of the same old areas including Walmart and the corners of Columbia and Fifth Streets.